Franz Oppenheimer

Franz Oppenheimer was a German sociologist and economist known for his views on state power and social organization. He argued that historical development often followed cyclical patterns, where societies progress through stages of conquest and economic development. Oppenheimer distinguished between the "political means" of gaining wealth, involving force and coercion, and the "economic means," which involves voluntary trade and production. His work emphasizes the role of the state and coercion in shaping history, suggesting that ongoing struggles between these methods influence societal evolution and reflect broader trends in human civilization.